S 3009 New Jersey Senate · 2026-2027 Regular Session

Authorizes voluntary post-adoption contact agreements.

This bill establishes a legal process for adoptive parents and birth relatives (such as grandparents or siblings) to voluntarily agree on post-adoption contact, including visitation or information sharing. It requires courts to approve written agreements before finalizing adoption, ensuring they are entered into knowingly and in the child’s best interest, with the child’s preference considered if age-appropriate. The agreement becomes part of the adoption record and can be enforced or modified by court order. This directly affects adoptive families, birth relatives, and adopted children by providing a structured option to maintain relationships after adoption is finalized.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Last action Jan 13, 2026
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Jan 13, 2026
Introduced
Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Joe Vitale
Joe Vitale
DDemocratic
NJ
19